CHANDIGARH, Jan 28 — Mr Naresh Kumar Arora, an IAS officer of the 1965 batch, is all set to take over from Mr R.S. Mann as the new Chief Secretary of Punjab on February 1. Mr Mann, who also belongs to the 1965 batch, is due to retire on January 31 on attaining superannuation.

Though no formal orders on the appointment of Mr Arora, at present Principal Secretary, Local Government, have been issued so far, indications are that the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had cleared his name before leaving for Amritsar on January 27.

Going by the present seniority list of the Punjab cadre IAS officers, Mr V.K. Khanna, who was Chief Secretary during the tenure of Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal as Chief Minister, is the seniormost. He belongs to the 1963 batch and is at present on deputation with the Central Government.

Mr Ajit Kumar, who belongs to the 1964 batch, is also on deputation with the Central Government.

The name of Mr Swaran Singh Boparai, another officer of the 1964 batch of the IAS, was mentioned for the post, till the decision went in favour of Mr Arora. Two more officers of the 1964 batch are Mr Dinesh Chandra and Mr Kamal Nain Singh.

Mrs Shyama Mann, who also belongs to the 1965 batch, is due to retire on September 30 this year.